Farm-Working Families and Community Members Advocate for Organic Farms Near Schools

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Written by Jessica González on Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Watsonville farm-working families continue to advocate for organic agriculture to protect the health of their children. At a city council meeting last month, community members advocated for all farms near schools to transition to organic and to stop spraying pesticide. 

Several farm-working parents spoke about the health effects of pesticide exposure on their children. This concern is not surprising given that Latino children are 91 percent more likely to attend schools with high pesticide exposure.  Organic agriculture protects the health of rural communities by prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides.

The Watsonville City Council echoed the concerns of the families and agreed to support the conversion of farms near schools to organic. Several council members were vocal about submitting a resolution to move this task forward. A group called Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture (CORA) organized community members to attend the meeting. The group plans to continue advocating for organic and working toward a pesticide-free Pajaro Valley.

No resolution was submitted by the council, but garnering the city council’s support is a critical step forward.